arbitrary
Use Arbitrary in a sentence
bɪˌtrɛr adjective
1.
2.
decided by a judge or arbiter rather than by a law or statute.
3.
having unlimited power; uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; despotic; tyrannical: an arbitrary government.
4.
capricious; unreasonable; unsupported: an arbitrary demand for payment.
5.
Mathematics. undetermined; not assigned a specific value: an arbitrary constant.
noun
6.
00:10
Arbitrary
is always a great word to know.
So is analysis. Does it mean:
| a system of calculation based on the properties of numbers; the discussion of a problem by algebra consisting of calculus and its higher developments |
| the operation or process of finding the difference between two numbers or quantities, denoted by a minus sign (?) |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To arbitrary
Collins
World English Dictionary
arbitrary (ˈɑːbɪtrərɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | founded on or subject to personal whims, prejudices, etc; capricious |
| 2. | having only relative application or relevance; not absolute |
| 3. | (of a government, ruler, etc) despotic or dictatorial |
| 4. | maths not representing any specific value: an arbitrary constant |
| 5. | law (esp of a penalty or punishment) not laid down by statute; within the court's discretion |
| [C15: from Latin arbitrārius arranged through arbitration, uncertain] | |
| 'arbitrarily | |
| —adv | |
| 'arbitrariness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
arbitrary
early 15c., "deciding by one's own discretion," from L. arbitrarius "depending on the will, uncertain," from arbiter (see arbiter). The original meaning gradually descended to "capricious" and "despotic" (1640s).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Values must be purely subjective arbitrary things that are a matter of opinion then.
And they heap scorn on opponents for letting old promises and arbitrary moral barriers stand in the way of human betterment.
There are many arbitrary precision arithmetic packages available, primarily for scientific computing.
Some added charges seemed arbitrary and left me feeling nickel-and-dimed.
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